A Festival of Bites

Aarons wanted his Hanukkah menu to "put a more colorful and ethnic spin" on traditional holiday foods. Here he explains his use of different ingredients and flavor profiles, and offers cooking tips for his recipes as well as wine and cocktail suggestions.

Hanukkah would hardly be complete without some latke love, but using his trademark brand of seasonally driven, globally infused cooking, Aarons incorporates Jerusalem artichokes and a Greek-inspired taramasalata garnish in his version. Jerusalem artichokes, also called sunchokes, add a hint of toasted nuttiness plus subtle sweetness to the latkes, reports Aarons. But if you can't find them, substitute parsnip or celery root. And, when forming the latkes, add as little flour as possible, says Aarons, "so the cakes aren't dense hockey pucks."

Aarons discovered the classic pâté and cherry combination during his days at San Francisco's Zuni Caf&eacute. It's a "match made in heaven," he says, and the inspiration behind his hors d'oeuvres of endive filled with chicken liver and cherry marmalade. When shopping, look for ruby red livers with no green or brown spots. And keep in mind that you want the livers to remain pink in the center so broil them quickly; to stop the cooking, pop them in the fridge for a minute or two.

"This chile-infused braise with clove and oregano is as much a comfort food for me as kasha varnishkes," explains the Los Angelesbred Aarons. With its warm spice and alluring sauciness, the brisket is a staple for tortas, burritos, and tacos at the Aarons house and, for this menu, a natural fit for sliders. Toasting the chiles helps them develop more depth of flavor. If you can't find dried ancho or guajillo chiles, look for pasilla or California chiles, and try to use a mix of several as that's the secret to achieving the complexity of flavors you want from this dish.

These easy lamb kebabs get their Middle Eastern flair from cumin, cinnamon, oregano, and pomegranate molasses. They're ideal for entertaining because the marinade can be made in advance and the lamb can be prepped and threaded on skewers up to two hours ahead.

Fried dough balls, a perfect cocktail party dish, give a nod to sufganiyot, the jelly doughnut that's an Israeli Hanukkah tradition. You'll want to make and fry the fritters just before serving but the syrup can be made several hours ahead and kept, in an airtight container, at room temperature.

Wine & Cocktails

With help from Tierra Sur's consulting sommelier, Beckey Richards, Aarons offers several beverage options for his festive cocktail party. There are quite a few dishes and flavors being served, so keep your drink choices simple. One red wine, one white, and some bubblyprosecco, cava, or a California sparkling wineare plenty.

"Hanukkah is a happy celebration," explains Richards, "and sparkling wine is a celebratory drink that pairs well with just about everything." For red and white wine, Richards encourages starting with Old World bottles because they tend to work so well with food. French Chablis and red Burgundy or Sancerre rouge are all great options.